Life's Expectations Altered
by Murnock
Summary: Class runs over and I am late to leave back to my apartment. I walk home and find myself overwhelmed with more work I need to finish. I make a pit-stop for much needed caffeine, but what happens afterwards changed my plans for the evening and life.
1. CH1: In the Beginning

I am a university student in her senior year. Life as a student sucks, but I make it make the best of it. My classes are during the evening and I work during the day. By working, I have managed to pay my way through college and on my own in an apartment on the outskirts of the university campus. As an intern, I work at a pharmaceutical office based within the university, which is relatively close to the buildings that host my classes. Walking is my main transportation because of my living expenses, so I only drive when I leave to go home to my family. My days are long and hard, but I think today has been the roughest it has been in a long while.

I am exhausted. My legs feel like they are made of jello, and I can barely step forward without dragging my feet. Class ended later than scheduled and having to walk back to my apartment afterwards only makes me feel more drained and fatigued.

 _Still need to submit my work for my other classes too when I get back... Ugh._

Walking on, passing every other street light, the light brightens my path as I walk towards it and lights my back to show my shadow as I continue to walk.

 _It's almost the weekend; that's something to look forward to._

According to my phone, it displays 10:45PM. There is still thirty more minutes of walking to do, as well as probably an hours work of school work to complete. It will be midnight before I can shower and go to bed.

 _Guh! I think I'll stop by the gas station and pick up some coffee before I make it back to the apartment._

I walk up to a crosswalk and push the button to cross. The cold sensation from the metal pole is oddly satisfying, as I lean against the light-signal post and rest my forehead against it. Eyes closed, breathing in and out, I let out a sigh from my lips.

 _I feel so overwhelmed. I need to take a break._

My eyes open slightly to see the sign to walk is on and I quickly brisk my way over to the other side of the street.

 _I'll make sure to get the dark roast coffee, to make sure I stay awake. A size large too. Maybe with something to eat. Like a muff-_

So focused on my thoughts, I bump into someone.

"Oh, pardon me. I wasn't paying attention."

Look at the person I hit into, it was a older gentleman, walking out of the gas station.

The guy looked me over and started to speak.

"You should be more vigilant to your surroundings, young lady. Especially at this time of night and at your age; you're a vulnerable target."

"Yes, sir. I'll be more aware."

 _It's not like I've never been walking around this late before. Just saying._

"Get on home as soon as possible. Young ladies such as yourself should be in bed, getting their beauty rest."

The man tipped his cap and continued on to his car.

 _Wait, did he just hint at me that I look ugly? Psh, he doesn't even know how offensive he is to the 'young ladies' who work their ass off… Jerkface._

Rolling my eyes, I walk into the gas station and grab the largest ounce cup. Filling my cup with a dark roast brew and include a large double chocolate muffin with it. I pay for my items and continue on my walk back to the apartment.

As I walk, I put my muffin in the side pocket of my backpack. I miss the pocket opening and drop the muffin. The silifane wrap around the muffin made it hard to slip it in a pocket, one handed. Picking it up, I try to put it in the pocket again, but it slipped out of my hand and fell to the ground. Slightly frustrated, I decide to stop walking and put my coffee down to use both hands to put the damn muffin in the stupid pocket.

I turn back to my coffee and pick it up, when there stands someone in front of it. Due to limited lighting, to make out the person's face or gender is impossible.

 _I can't tell if they're a girl or a guy._

The dilemma is now how I should address this person, which is awkward. I am not sure what to say to this person, but not acknowledging their presence is just as awkward.

 _I need to say something…_

"Oh hey, I didn't notice you there. Sorry."

Standing up and stepping away from them, I create some distance between us. They do not say anything and instead rests some uneasy silence.

"Hey, uh… is there something I can help you with?"

The silence lingers, for they do not reply. I want to walk on but the person is in my way.

"Well, I'll be on my way. Excuse me plea-"

The next thing I see is the ground and my face is pressed against it. I struggle to my feet, pushing my knees against the concrete, trying to get my legs underneath me. As I uneasily lift myself from the ground, I get pushed back down again with my head first.

 _What- what's happening to me?!_

My arms and hands are twisted against my back. I attempt to pull my arms forward, but it creates more pain against my body, as if needles are puncturing my joints.

 _Assault! Assault!_

In a panic, I pull my face to its side and breath what air I could to scream for help!

"SOMEONE! H-!"

Before a another word was said, there is a cloth over my mouth and nose. It is covered with something awful tasting and sweet smelling. I try to maneuver away from it, only for more force pushing onto my face with the stuff. I cough uncontrollably, inhaling more of the substance. Fire-like stings pierce throughout my nostrils and throat.

My eyes begin to blur a bit, for I can barely make out the post at the next streetlight. As an all-out effort, I kick my legs out and back, towards the offender. I try rolling my body over, to see if the they'll struggle to keep my arms locked. From the my added efforts, I begin to feel my muscles fatiguing and having a slower reaction.

My eyelids are feeling heavy and I think I am losing consciousness. As a final effort, I force my eyes to open for a second and all I saw was something red before I no strength left in me.

 _It was… Chloroform…_

Chloroform was the last thing I said to myself before I succumbed to blackness.


	2. CH2: A Cold Meeting

Chapter 2: A Cold Meeting

Feeling heavy and roughly awake, I can barely open my eyes. My neck is sore and feels like a brick, along with my shoulders. To stretch some, I raise my arm slowly and place my palm over my eyes, rubbing them with my fingers. I open my eyes, blinking profusely, as my vision gradually becomes clear. The room I am in is dark and made of stone. All that is inside my room is the bed I lay in with a table and chair placed across from it.

There is a short but long space in the stone that seeps with dim light. I crawl out of the bed and walk up to this slit in the stone wall; it is a sliver of a opening to the outside. By peering through the opening, and I am suddenly weak in the knees - I am hundreds of yards above the ground! I see treetops, rock boulders, and creeks from below to afar. I back away from the slit in the wall and walk over to the only space to get in and out of this room: a giant wooden door.

I grab ahold of the handle and pull, but it is sealed shut and extremely thick.

 _It must be heavy..._

I decide to sit in the chair and stretch my arms and legs out and slouch over the table. Rubbing my face against my arms, and I begin to feel sick.

 _I have no idea where I am; my stuff is gone; don't know who kidnapped me, and-_

There is a noise from the other side of the door; it sounds muffled. Pausing a moment from my intrusive thoughts, I walk up and press my ear against the cracks between the wooden door and stone wall, listening carefully.

"Look and see! Look!"

I hear a person speak and their steps walking loudly.

 _Are they coming to this room?_

Without hesitation, I rush over to my bed, sitting still and listening to the steps echoing against the stone floors. I turn and lie down with my back towards the door, so whoever-they-are will think I am still sleeping if they come in.

The door opens, and I force myself to stay as still as possible with slow, even breaths. There is more than one person in the room, judging by the number of footsteps made on the floor.

"So, what are we going to do with her?"

"I don't know. He brought her here and said put her somewhere."

"Yeah but he wants to see her and she's asleep."

It is a man and a woman talking. I continue to try and breath evenly, hoping they will never check if I am really sleeping by touching me. I can feel my body wanting to freak out.

"We can wake her?"

"Then you do it; I'm not touching that."

I feel my palms getting sweaty, because I hear one of the two people walk up towards the bed. I can feel their body heat leaning over me. I swear to myself I will not let my eyes open.  
 _  
Don't do it! I won't, I won't, I WON'T!_

"Hey Avelina, she seems to be having a nightmare or something. She's squinting her eyes pretty hard." The guy leans over more, and I'm at the point of losing control of my composure. My body will not stop shaking.

"What are you talking about? Let me see, Eustace." The girl Avelina pulls the hair from my face away and leans into my face.

"Eustace," she says softly.

"Yes?"

"Eustace -" she strokes my hair behind my ear. Her fingertips brush my face and they are icy cold; I could not help but shiver a little from that unfortunate encounter "- she's not having a nightmare."

Avelina pulls more hair away from my face and hover over my ear.

"... She's pretending."

My shirt is pulled up and a cold tip of something is placed on my back; it's like a ice-burning sensation. The tip moves up my skin and I cannot handle the burn - it is too intense! I pull my back away, and Avelina and Eustace begin to go after my arms and legs. I squirm away from their hands but it is no use - they have me pinned against the wall and bed. Both Avelina pulls at my arms, while Eustace pulls at my legs.

"You weren't clever enough." Avelina says in a calm and quiet tone of voice.

"Eustace, she needs a bath before we head to the courtyard. Tell Ida to get the bath ready in the boudoir room. I can walk her there."

Avelina pulls my arms behind my back and I wince. The grip Avelina has over me is ruthless and strong. I feel petrified because I can't move without feeling pain.

"Are you sure?" Eustace stares down at me then looks up to Avelina.

"Yes, plus we can't keep him waiting."

Avelina then forces me to pull myself up out of the bed. I want to lash out yet the pain from my arms are too intense to do anything; all I can do is wince in pain and try to cooperate with my limited movement in my arms and force my legs to move. Avelina pushes me forward to the door and I struggle to find my balance when I am hunched over with my arms locked.

"Damn girl, what do you think you're doing - learning to walk? Move it!" Avelina was very impatient with me and pushed me on out the door with me dragging my feet here and there. We turn a corner and walk down a long narrow hallway to some stairs.

"Don't make me carry you." Avelina then puts one of her hands under my shirt, over my lower back. The sensation of the icy burn was beginning to resonate up my spine. I took this as a threat and did my best to walk up the stairs, because the burn was only mild in comparison to what I felt a few minutes ago.

At the top of the stairs, Avelina guides me to the nearest room and kicks the door closed behind us.


End file.
